Dan Burn claims are just daft | OneFootball

One thing for sure with Dan Burn.

If he is fit and available, Eddie Howe has him in his team, with very exceptions.

Signed in January 2022, once Dan Burn got put in the Newcastle United team he started all 16 Premier League matches as he was a key factor in Eddie Howe’s team recovering from what had looked certain relegation due to Ashley and Bruce.

Dan Burn at centre of defence and Matt Target in on loan at left-back, the second half of that 2021/22 season saw only Liverpool and Man City pick up more points than Newcastle United, that season’s recovery built on rock solid defending.

His first full season with Newcastle United, saw Dan Burn start the 2022/23 campaign in centre of defence, but once summer signing Sven Botman had been given a little time to adjust, the Dutch defender partnered Fabian Schar in the middle and Eddie Howe moved Dan Burn out to left-back where he stayed. The big lad from Blyth started 35 Premier League games that season and came off the bench in the other three.

A quite remarkable season for Newcastle United when it came to defending. Only title winners Man City matched United’s 33 goals conceded as Eddie Howe’s side finished fourth, the next lowest total was 43 goals conceded.

The  2023/24 season was the worst Newcastle United year in living memory for injuries, Dan Burn included. He picked up a nasty back injury but came back weeks before he should have done to help the NUFC cause with so many players missing, starting 32 Premier League matches and coming off the bench in one other. Dan Burn played left-back that season at times but mostly in the middle of defence, wherever he was asked to. At times as part of a three man defence.

Last season was a Champion League qualifying trophy winning stellar campaign, Dan Burn and Fabian Schar outstanding in the centre of defence, Sven Botman continuing to struggle to stay fit after surgery the previous season and recovery. Hall and Livramento both excellent at left-back. Dan Burn started 37 Premier League matches across 2024/25.

Moving back to the present day and Burn and Schar continuing in the middle, only for then injuries and suspensions to hit, Dan Burn ending up at left-back once again and has started all seven Premier League matches so far, wherever Eddie Howe asks him to turn out.

In the seven Premier League games so far, Dan Burn starting in all seven, United keeping clean sheets in five of them.

It all feels very familiar.

Back in 2022/23 when Newcastle United had that season of stellar defending, when it came to Premier League starts in the back five, you had Nick Pope 37 PL starts, Kieran Trippier 38, Fabian Schar 36, Sven Botman 35, Dan Burn 35.

At the moment Eddie Howe is going with a very familiar 2022/23 look, apart from Fabian Schar struggling to get back into the starting eleven currently after missing due to concussion, due to the outstanding form of Malick Thiaw in the middle alongside Sven Botman. Kieran Trippier and Dan Burn at full-back, Nick Pope in goal.

Yet I still see these daft Dan Burn claims.

Both media and many Newcastle United fans not fully accepting Dan Burn as a left-back.

Dan Burn is absolutely a top class left-back. He is just a different kind of top class left-back to what Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento bring to that position.

The big lad from Blyth simply brings different strengths and weaknesses to the role, compared to other alternatives at NUFC, alternatives who are both currently injured.

The stats don’t lie and just as in 2022/23, we are seeing the same in 2025/26, plus 2023/24 and 2024/25 for that matter. When Dan Burn plays in defence, whatever the position, he is a massive asset…in more ways than one.

It is an absolute joke when some people want to see Dan Burn as a weakness at left-back. I think fair to say that he gives you less in open play when it comes to attack BUT the other strengths that he brings easily balance that out.

Dan Burn is an unconventional left-back in many ways.